The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-12-07
ANCIENT AND MODERN CITIES.
Towns Built Above and Below thu
GV~nI1nd
From the YOUTHS Companion.


From the Youths Companion.
One of the little noticed, but very inn
portant, changes that have taken place in
modern tunes is that which has occurred in
what may be called the construction OF
cities. We can best explain and illustrate
our meaning by contrasting the city of to-
day with that of the beginning of this
century.
At the earlier period city was no more
than a large crowded village. The buildings
were much closer together than they were
in a country town, and somewhat, but not
very much, higher. Except in a small
number of cities, all buildings, and in these
few cities most of the buildings, were lighted
by means of whale or lard oil, or of candles.
Almost universally the water needed for
domestic purposes was drawn from local
wells or cisterns Systematic drainage was
a thing unknown in American cities.
Now, every one is aware Of the immense
gain to the present generation that has re-
suited from the invention of the elevator,
from the introduction of gas and water
and from the construction Of sewer sys-
TENS; but we fancy few young people, at all
events, reflect upon the radical change which
these and other changes have effected in the
form and appearance of cities.
Take the case of the elevator Forty
years ago a structure four or five stories high
was often a cause of loss of money to the
builder or of suffering. The upper floors
were undesirable to tenants, and could only
be let at a low rent, and the men who hired
or used these floors were obliged to make the
persons employed by them climb the
st irs laboriously. on foot.
Now, third or tenth story makes but little
difference, since the elevator carries one to
either floor, without effort and in about the
same time. Many tenants prefer the upper
floors, as they are there removed from the
dust and noise of the streets, and sometimes
in very high buildings, they can catch from
their windows glimpSes of the green country
1t has resulted that warehouses and build
ingS for offices are erected TO enormous
heights, ten stories or more, and every year
sees an increase in the holiness of city struc-
lures. The one danger which is increased is
that from fire; for the difficulty of escape Is
greater, and TO throw water into the upper
part of such building is almost ont of the
question.
This danger is overcome by putting into
the building nothing that will burn, except
the finish of the rooms Walls, partitions,
floors, roofs, stairs, laths, are of brick
stone iron, fireclay and slate. A fire in such
a building would burn itself out in the room
where it originated. and die for want of
fuel
But men have gone underground as well
as into the air. We do not refer to the
enormous deep easements but to the SUD-
structure of the streets. Gas, water and
pipes are not recent Innovations They were
all in or beneath the streets when men now
old were infants.
Yet there are constant additions to these
underground neighborS of the roadway
Overhead telegraph and telephone wires are
in many cities being removed or have been
already removed beneath the surface The
latest improvement comes from the laying
of pipes to carry steam for heating purposes
Sooner or later, too, the electric-lighting
wires will be under the ground.
To all this may be added the system of
railroads on the surface in most cities above
ground on stills Ill New York, below ground
in London. The mere mention of the vast
difference which these changes have made
is all that is necessary for our purpose
Thus the modern city has been made capa-
BILE, first of giving homes and places for
work to a larger number of persons to a given
area. Again, by the quick means of trans
portation from place to place, the area
which a city can cover, while permitting
those who inhabit it to pursue their occupa-
tions efficiently, has been greatly extended.
Moreover, this has been accomplished
while improving the sanitary condition of
cities by means of sewers which carry away
the refuse matter and while adding vastly
to the comfort of the inhabitants by giving
them light, water and heat without effort.
When one further reflects that future
changes will be no less great and far-reach-
ing, one may well think twice before
consentIng to smile at, the fanciful sketches
of the city of the next generation, drawn
by the funny men of the funny papers
Perhaps the reality will Guido their i'm
agination. Who knows?